Pinecrest's Maples vs. Rocky Mount's Moss

This past Thursday, Gatorade announced its 50 state winners for High School Baseball Player of the Year.

I was so hoping that Rocky Mount's Benton Moss, who I nominated for the award a few weeks ago, would become the Gryphons' third recipient of the coveted title. He'd be following in the footsteps of Rocky Mount greats Carter Harrell (2001) and Brian Goodwin (2008).

But the award went to senior pitcher/third baseman Dillon Maples from Southern Pines Pinecrest.

I have no idea how the voting went, but Moss had to have been a close second.

Check out below how their numbers compare! 

Both have signed with North Carolina and both are All-Americans, but Maples is a possible first-round Major League Draft pick. Moss, of course, also won the Morehead-Cain Scholarship at UNC and might get drafted late as scouts will expect he'll pretty much head to Chapel Hill in the fall and will be fairly unsignable.

Benton Moss		Dillon Maples
9-1	Record	9-1
148	Ks	143
0.87	ERA	0.93
64.1	Inn. Pitched	68.2
.395	Batting Avg.	.431
21	Runs scored	19
31	RBI	31
6	HRs            7

Summer Fun Tennis 2011

Summer Fun Tennis 2011 will take place from July 4 until Aug. 26 at Sunset Park and it will be a free program for all boys and girls. This is an effort to improved the feeder programs that provide players for teams at Rocky Mount High School and Edwards Middle School.

Beginning to advanced players attending Edwards next school year are also welcome to attend. 

Players will supply their own rackets, shoes and refreshments. 

For players from the elementary level, the Quick Start Tennis format will be used - a smaller court, low pressure balls and age-appropriated rackets.

For more information on the program, contact Buck Young at 937-2439, 904-8716 or email him at cbuckyoung@excite.com. You may write to him at: 3516 Hawthorne Rd., Rocky Mount, N.C. 27804.

Congrats Tom on 40 great years

Rocky Mount native Tom Suiter may have retired from everyday sports reporting for WRAL-TV5 in Raleigh, but he is still putting in time at its Western Boulevard studios.

This past Thursday, Suiter celebrated his 40th anniversary at the station. This coming on the heels of fellow WRAL personality and meteorologist Greg Fishel spending the past month relishing in his 30th year at the station.

I had the chance to talk to Tom during the 2008 GlaxoSmithKline Invitational basketball tournament for about 20 minutes and he imparted to me that he was just tired .. period. He was ready for retirement, but he said the station was still wooing him to at least host Football Friday and continue his presentations of his Extra Effort Award for high school athletes.

At that time, he was indecisive. But lucky for us all, he stayed on for those special projects - including marking his 30th season of Football Friday last fall.

Congrats on 40 wonderful years, Tom! Can't believe that early interview with coaching legend John Wooden at then-Campbell College was that long ago!